Automobile body



Oct. 14, 1930. goppog 1,778,356

AUTOMOBILE BODY Filed March 30, 1929 Fig. 4

IN VEN TOR.

A ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KENNETH E. COPPOCK, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LOCKE & COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER,NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK AUTOMOBILE BODY Application filed March 30, 1929. Serial No. 351,239.

This invention relates 'to automobile bodies. It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved automobile body which will give a trim and desirable,

appearance without a top but which will include a detachable top which will conform to the body outlines and provide a firm and water tight connection between the top and body.

A detachable top offers many advantages in automobile construction but it is very undesirable that the top when removed shall give any indication that the top has been removed, as this spoils the appearance and gives the effect of incompleteness.

1 It is an object of this invention to provide a bodywhich when driven withouta top will give every appearance of a car designed to be so driven but on which the top may be readily mounted and when so mounted will possess all the advantages and security which a permanently mounted top would have.

It is a further object to provide an automobile ofthe character described which may be economically manufactured, which will be easy to convert from one type body to another and which will be durable in construction.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of ele ments, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature.

and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of a car embodying this invention with the top attached. Figure 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 but with the top separated from and spaced above the body. Figure 3 is an enlarged detail. Figure 4.- is a fragmentary plan view. Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 5---5 of Figure 4 showing a method of assembling the parts.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a car body which is illustrated as of a streamline type, having a running board 2, doors 3 and a hood 4. The upper surface of the body shell as shown more particularly at 5 in Figure 2 is uninterrupted in its contour, so that when the body alone is employed without the top, about to be described, there is no substantial evidence that the body is designed to be used with 'a top. There is provided, however, a detachable top 10 which in the form illustrated is of a character to convert the body into theroadster type. As illustrated this top is supported by brackets 11 interlocking with the body at 12. The body is also provided with a wind shield 13 which may be supported by a hinge as at 14 and arranged to cooperate with and support the front edge of the top 10 if desired. By reason of the hinge 14 the angle of the wind shield may be altered at will, a feature which is particularly desirable when the car is being driven with the top removed.

The top itself carries a rail 16 which is adaptedto conform to the upper surface 5 of the body shell,as will be seen from Figure 2 and this rail isso designed that it may be clamped down on the upper surface to form a firm water tight connection therewith withunobstructed by any rail orany attaching means.

The body is preferably provided with an ornamental trim lace 17 which improves the appearance of the car when thetop is removed andthe rail. 16 may be arranged to cover and enclose this trim lace when the top is in place. In Figure 5 is illustrated a particular desirable construction embodying this invention in accordance with which there is inserted in the body shell a plurality of flanged sockets 18 which are firmly attached to the body frame .as by means of screws 19 but which arecompletely concealed by the covering material 20. Each of these sockets is provided with an opening 21 having a female thread to receive a stud bolt 22 upon the rail 16. The covering 20 completely encloses and masks the socket member being provided only with an opening 23 in registry with the opening 21 of the socket. If desired means may be provided for closing this opening 23 when the top is not in use. As will be seen the spaces below the opening 21 are not enclosed so that anyldirt .ten din glto fall into p e clam asnevv and desire to secure by Letters the o ip ii l g 'llwhile it is open-will not remain in position to interfere with the thread.

The rail 16 is preferablyprovided with a front .{hearing surface 24: adapted to bear throughout the length "of the rail: upon :the' upper surface'of the covering 2Q, a nd ex-j tending vertically through the rail -lfi'within the confines of the s1 irface 24, the rail is 10110 v vided with openings to receive thestud' The head 2 6 ofthisgstud; bolt hasa sho,ulder. 27,adapted to bear 'gupon the upper surface ar plate 29 with which the top of the mail .isreenforced.

.7 It ,willib ;understood 10f i such attachingidevices are employed throughi outl the length .of the rail. :In theiembodiv-frmeet i us ate t iI fii l dha e su stud bolts' -may. be employech two near each V w, end jof th'e rail and one in the center. 7

The rail 1t is thus designed tobetfirmly clamped-against theupper'surfaoe of the body by means "oflthe, ,bolts I --Where, asw in theform illustratechthe rail 3Q 71's designedto {enclose-the,trimlace 17, the

sockets 1 8 willbearranged with their orifices i2l,l m dia e y adja ent-to and pre r b y in front of th e-trim'laceg :and theirail} 16 Will be un der cnt as sholwn 'atfl30 .to provide a a channel to receive the trim-. lace; Means'ane alsoprovided for. making a watertight joint between the rail and-body and incthe form illustrated'it is convenient and economical otomalie the ,under'cutoSBOof such .anature that 'jit sieryesatlonceto provideaeonvenientpoint 'ofattachment fora; weather strip 31 and for out departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a, limiting sense. 7

Having described. my invention, .what I Patent, is

1. In an open automobile having a smooth exterior contour free itemprojections for attachment :of'a to'p, af1d having a detachable top comprising a frame work supported at 'the'si-de's of the body and a cover carried by the framework at the'roof but unsupported "thereby at the back, in combination, a rail shaped. to con form to the-upper. surface of ;=the body-to which the reanportions of the cjover {are permaiientlyattached, attaching 'means' for deta chably attaching said rail to osai'd'body including a member :whollyvooncealediivithin the contour of the (body and a v o cooperating member directly connected to the rail land movable'paralleltothe plane (of the back portion of the cover to attachth e mail,

and thereby the cover, tothe body;

v2. In an automobile having a sinQrithexterior contour free :from :proj eotionsffor :attachment of a top and having a detachable top in' combination, a; detachable top-attaohingrail shaped to conform to the exterior o tsa-id body .to which the top is pernianentlyattached'garid detachable means ,for' vattaching.said rail including'a member: engagi 1g said .rail and a cooperating member ,wholly. contained within the contour ofisaid body, said rail being undercut along onedge weather stripping attached to the face ofgsaid ,rundercut "holding the Weatherstrip inposition to engage ,thebodywith a weather tight.connection A practical manner ofaccomplish- 1 'ingthis'consists informing theundercut 3.0

by? $urface sl nt ng .downwar y the I ffi 'ontfipw ifiltherear andto thissurface there is attached bymeans of a clamping plate 32 an ascr wsfi, a fl x l St p 3 lda up itselftojenclose a rubber. tube 35, the parts ,being 'of suc'h shape anjdvdimensions thatwhen'the' rail' ltl is cl-amped tightly upon fi'hab dy. the. tubing mayho 't e st p 3. in ight-engage en wi t e odythe foregoing( construction it will be l r ha WhQI t tap is emov d the} car an res b easma brebil C wit v hing I t i is. removable.

diifere t 611 b se may ba a he d lties seals to indicate that itis.arrangedfor,usev with i t o p. a Assoomhowever,astheitop is rput 1 mly cl mpd P a d 'th ey tt w r hat a ls 

